A Debate on Historical Accuracy in Game Design

Game-wisdom writes: With the announcement of the newest Assassin’s Creed game, came a bit of controversy courtesy of PETA. In the next title taking place during the 18th century, players will participate in piracy along with the act of whaling. Whaling as many people know still goes on today which animal rights groups protest.

While many people dismissed this as PETA being PETA there is an important question that the industry should ask: Is there a line for history accuracy in games?
(Assassin's Creed, PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

No there shouldn't be any line. History should be portrayed as it was. No group should make any claims on how history must be portrayed. It was how it was, acting like it all never happend is beyond stupid.

However, we should stop making video games about war you know, my grandpa died in the second world war and it really hurts my feelings till this very day..........

While I would love to say there shouldn't be a line, there actually is. Like would you defend me if I made a game about colored people picking cotton if I set it in 1800? Thats sort of the problem with writing things off as "being historically accurate", since it leaves the door open to racism / anti-Semitic / sexist messages with a "get out of jail free" card.

Anyway, games should strive be historically accurate, but there is a degree of common sense that comes into play.

I don't agree. Slavery is something that happend hundreds of years ago. Not one person living today is resposible for that. Everything should be possible for developers.

Slavery was terrible for the coloured people but it happend. You can't change that ever. In the end their ancesters are very lucky that they are living in highly developed western countries.

I highly doubt they would develop a game about that however. Too controversial so they avoid that topic. However if you decide to develop a game in a certain era or timespace then you should do that the way it was.

I agree on "History should be portrayed as it was " although... in a video game being able to show the "what if's" .. ,,, or allow for creativity and do whatever you want is good to as long as its labeled ,

as a matter fact that should be a new requirement on game covers (or box art) .... should say historically accurate... or *not historically accurate... for games that it applies to.

this will allow total freedom in making a game.... but will also allow games to BE accurate while letting us gamers know what to expect.